The Watchers team and our contributors bring the latest on extreme weather, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, space weather, and all things science. We're all about making sense of the natural world and keeping you informed on what’s happening. Got a tip or a question? Hit us up using the form at newstips!
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Between June 8 and 14, 2016, new activity was observed at 4 volcanoes. Ongoing activity was observed at 14 volcanoes during the same period. New activity/unrest: Bulusan, Luzon (Philippines) | Kerinci, Indonesia | Santa Maria, Guatemala | Turrialba, Costa Rica….
Pan-STARRS 1 asteroid survey telescope on Haleakala, Hawaii has discovered Earth's new quasi-satellite. Designated as 2016 HO3, this newly discovered near-Earth object has been our planet's constant companion for almost a century. The asteroid is too…
A heavy hailstorm struck the prefecture-level city of Changzhi in Shanxi Province, North China on Monday, June 13, 2016. The largest hailstones were more than 45 mm (1.7 inches) in diameter. More than 18 000 cars that parked outdoors were damaged in the storm that…
After a sudden lava surge on May 24, 2016, a new lava flow was formed at Hawaiian Kilauea volcano. The flow remains active, as of June 16, but currently poses no threat to nearby communities. As of June 10, the so-called 'June 27th' lava flow northeast of…
A co-rotating interaction region (CIR) – the transition zone between slow- and fast-moving streams of solar wind – has hit Earth's magnetic field on June 14, 2016, sparking geomagnetic storms. As of 19:55 UTC, a G2 – Moderate geomagnetic storm is in progress and…
Look into the heavens at night. You see twinkling stars, maybe the crescent moon. What else is out there that we can’t see with the naked eye? Other planets and moons, comets, meteors, asteroids, miners… wait, what? Ok, there aren’t any miners in…
A strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.2 hit Vanuatu at 13:49 UTC on June 14, 2016. The agency is reporting a depth of 131.7 km (81.8 miles). Geoscience Australia is reporting Mb6.3 at a depth of 99 km (61.5 miles). According to the USGS, the epicenter was…
Based on the observations of ocean heat content in the North Atlantic Ocean, the climate in the northern hemisphere is on the verge of a change that could last for several decades. This change is associated with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO)1 – a mode…
Russia's Klyuchevskoy volcano erupted late June 13, 2016, sending a column of smoke and ash high into the sky. At 22:09 UTC, a plume of ash reached an altitude of 5 – 6 km (16 400 – 19 680 feet) above sea level. At of 21:29 UTC, ash plume extended 47 km (29…
Serge Bayala of the ACMAD-MESA Climate Services recorded this massive dust storm on May 23, 2016, at the periphery of a migrating low pressure cell arriving at Dori, the capital of Sahel Region, Burkina Faso. The video starts as Bayala and Diasso Ulrich approach the…
